5-Star Rating for Little Company of Mary Transitional Care Center: U.S. News and World Report

5-Star Rating for Little Company of Mary Transitional Care Center: U.S. News and World Report

March 13, 2015

Providence Little Company of Mary Transitional Care Center, a skilled nursing facility in Torrance, earned five stars in a recent U.S. News and World Report feature listing the nation’s top nursing homes.

The magazine’s prestigious rankings were based on U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid surveys that found Providence Little Company of Mary among the best care homes in the nation based on health inspections, nurse staffing and quality measures. The care center is affiliated with Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, a 436-bed acute care hospital.

Elva Sipin, the Torrance care center’s administrator since 2012, said she and her leadership team have focused on improving patient and employee engagement to enhance the quality provided to the center’s residents. The reputation grew and today the center often has a waiting list for beds at the facility.

“What’s really unique about our facility is that our staff takes ownership and accountability for all of our patients; they engage with them, listen to their concerns and proactively address those concerns,” Sipin said.

Providence Little Company of Mary stands out among skilled nursing facilities because its patients typically are not long-term. The average length-of-stay is about two weeks, time for patients to rehabilitate from acute-care hospital stays before heading home.

“But even in that two-week period, the caregivers really develop relationships with patients,” Sipin said. She added that the center also welcomes visits from a volunteer ombudsman who serves as a patient advocate. The role, part of the federal Older Americans Act, was created to give nursing home residents a voice in their care.

U.S. News ranked more than 16,000 care and rehabilitation centers nationwide and 21.7 percent of them – 3,392 – earned the five-star rating.

The nursing staff at Providence Little Company of Mary is a mix of long term employees and newly graduated nurses, many of whom take part in a two-year nurse residency program before transitioning to acute-care nursing. They train on the same technology used in Providence medical centers throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area. Also integral to care are rehabilitation therapists, respiratory therapist, dietitians and administrative support.

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Providence Health & Services, Los Angeles County, provides the South Bay, Westside and San Fernando Valley a full spectrum of care that includes leading-edge diagnostics and treatment, outpatient health centers, the well-regarded Providence Medical Institute, numerous outreach programs and clinics, hospice and home care and Providence High School, a Blue Ribbon college-preparatory campus. Learn More >